InterContinental to Operate Hotel at New Wilshire Grand Skyscraper in L.A.

The InterContinental’s lobby will be located on the 70th floor of the new Wilshire Grand tower under construction in downtown Los Angeles. Rendering: AC Martin

U.K.-based InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), will operate the hotel at the new $1.1 billion Wilshire Grand high-rise under construction in downtown Los Angeles. The skyscraper, being developed by Korean Air Lines Co. and Hanjin Group, will feature a 900-room hotel — the largest InterContinental hotel in the Americas region. The hotel will be the first on the west coast to have a sky-lobby, which is located on the 70th floor.

The 73-story, 1,100-foot tall mixed-use development is set to be the tallest building in the western United States, providing unobstructed 360-degree views of Los Angeles.

Kirk Kinsell, president, the Americas at IHG commented: “InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is IHG’s luxury brand, which we have grown to be more than twice the size of any other luxury brand globally. We remain focused on building its presence in top-tier cities and resorts around the globe; and our partnership with Korean Air is very much in line with this strategy.”

Similar to the InterContinental hotel brand, Hanjin and Korean Air have been a part of the international scene for decades. From its humble beginnings in 1945, Hanjin and Korean Air have become one of the largest logistics and travel/hospitality companies in the world, including the largest Asian airline in Los Angeles. The InterContinental brand began just a year later in 1946 and became one of the world’s first international luxury hotel brands.

IHG said in a statement that the new property will reflect the four ecological typologies of Los Angeles while also embracing the laid-back sophistication of the city. The natural wood and warm colors in the building will reflect the city’s beach culture while the hotel’s sky lobby will incorporate Los Angeles’ car culture into the design through abstract representations of car lines into the internal paneling and décor.

The Wilshire Grand tower is set to open in 2017 and will be the first hotel built by Korean Air in the U.S.